1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a suturing method using an endoscope and a suture instrument used for suturing. For example, this invention relates to a method for suturing a perforation formed in a wall of a hollow organ and a suture instrument used therefore.
2. Description of Related Art
In the case of performing treatment in a body of a patient, the treatment can be performed by incising the body of the patient by surgical operation, or by oral endoscopic treatment or transanal endoscopic treatment. In the case of using an endoscope, the treatment can be performed by passing through a channel of the endoscope a forceps, high-frequency treatment instrument, incision instrument, suture instrument, or the like. In the case of using an endoscope inserted in the lumen from natural opening of a living body such as, for example, the mouth or anus to perform a medical treatment in the abdominal cavity, tissue is removed from the abdominal cavity or incised to form a hole, and then the medical treatment is carried out by approaching the abdominal cavity from the lumen through this hole. After the end of the medical treatment, the formed hole is sutured by using a suture instrument.
As a method for suturing a perforation formed in a hollow organ, a suturing method is disclosed in FIGS. 12 to 15 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,674. In this suturing method, a catheter for closing the interatrial septum is used. At the tip of the catheter, an anchor supporting member containing an anchor is provided. The anchor supporting member projects through a perforation from the inside to the outside of the tissue. From the anchor supporting member, two anchors are respectively made to perforate the tissue from the outside to the inside thereof. After that, the anchor supporting member is drawn out from the perforation. Since a suture thread is fixed to the anchor, the suture thread penetrates the tissue from the inside to the outside thereof. The suture thread is drawn from the outside into the inside of the tissue through the perforation. When the suture thread is tightened up, the tissue around the perforation is pulled together, and thereby the perforation is closed.